By Aja Vickers

Multimedia

"I myself am probably a
little skeptical but again it’s something that's going to require more
research, to say that wheat fields are responsible for tornadoes. I
don't think that is the case,” said KSN meteorologist Andrew Kozak.

Data collected over a six year period in
Oklahoma shows that the moisture in the air above wheat fields is much
higher than surrounding areas, and that plays a role in tornadoes. There
are a lot of factors influencing a tornado. Among them-- dry air needs
to mix with warm, moist air. Since wheat gives off a lot of moisture
when it greens in the spring, researchers say it could be part of the
fuel that fans the flames of a twister. While some say that theory is a
long shot, others say it makes sense.

“There is a lot of evidence that could point
towards that. Most tornadoes come through this time of year in April and
May and if you're linking that to the stages of wheat in this wheat
belt, that's about the time the wheat is most active,” said Adam Jeffris
of the Anthony co-op.

The devastating tornadoes in central Kansas
last May support this idea, while other instances do not. For example,
northwest Kansas produces less wheat than a lot of other areas around
the state but recorded the most tornadoes. This leaves some to believe
more research is needed.